garmin data card

Suggest you download a program called Recovery Manager ... it's designed for all Cards ... it duplicates and recovers cards ... it makes back-ups etc. Of course you need a card reader such as the Verbatim 12 in 1 or whatever to read the card.
When you start the program - it will search to find card reader ... then informs you exactly size etc. of card you have in the reader ... then you make choice of what you want to do.

Most chart cards allow back-up via crad reader to PC - but you can only write back to original card in event of damaged files etc. You cannot write it to another card. It will not work in the plotter etc. It looks for the encoding linked to card internal ID ...

With Garmin - when writing from CD based - they normally give you 2 card capability ... then its call them !
 
I expect the garmin data card is their own proprietary cards and that their reader will be needed.

I don't have my garmin card reader to hand but I'm 95% certain that it doesn't show as a drive in windows and the drivers only allow garmin software to see the card.

I don't know what happens when you buy charts on a card... but my CD can write the charts over and over again... but only for use on the 2 GPS sets that are allowed.

This is all of course not much help to the original poster.


Jim
 
Re: garmin data card ... Jimbuoy ...

Yes sorry .... Garmin have their "quirk" in this ... sorry.

The post I made is incorrect on garmin ... based on Bluechart CD's as Jimbuoy says ... If its over-counter Garmin card - then its a different matter and I would presume same as other cards applies ... it looks for card internal ID ...
 
simon ...

Ask Jimbuoy ... he can answer better on the Bluechart question ...
 
Re: garmin data card ... Jimbuoy ...

Simple answer is yes you could have bought it on CD.... but I don't know the price difference. I think the CD would have been a tad more expensive.....

However, you get a CD of a much larger area.... with a code to unlock the one area. You can then pay to unlock more areas later and you can write the memory card over and over..... You also need to factor in the cost of the card reader... although you can write directly to the card via the plotter if you wish.


Hope this helps


Jim
 
Re: garmin data card ... Jimbuoy ...

Glad to have helped...

One more thing worth considering is that the CD route allows you to write cards for 2 GPS units......


So there is a way to reduce cost.... but Garmin may not want you to /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Jim
 
Re: garmin data cards, some prices

Some ideas of price (based on common prices not RRPs), for comparing:-

Bluechart pre-prog card = 140.00
Bluechart CD with 1 area unlocked = 130.00
Additional unlock code = 100.00
USB Card reader/writer = 33.00
Blank 256mb Card (the size I believe is needed) = 86.00

So, 2x pre-progs is 280.00
Wheras kit to make 2 of the same area is 250.00

I hope that is of some use.

-S
 
Re: garmin data cards, some prices

You don't need anywhere near 256MB card if you only want the Navigation Charts.

I have a Garmin 276C the CD and a data card. All the charts for the Channel (MEU0001) only occupy 17.5MB. The thing that takes the space is turn by turn directions for road maps. I have a 512MB card and it has the whole of the UK and Ireland and France and all the Channel Charts on it. As I say, of this, the charts are only 17.5MB.

So for the area you're considering, unless you think you might want to unlock another Chart area, a 32MB card would be more than big enough and is much cheaper. I see a 16MB card on eBay now with a "Buy it Now" price of £4.99 right now.

So actually it is cheaper before considering chart update costs. When you want to update and you have pre-programmed data card I believe you need to buy a new card. With the CD you only need to buy the replacement CD (at $75) and you can update the existing card via your PC.

Go for a CD and the right size card for your needs....

Ed
 
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